Device to clean footwear



Jan. 22, 1963 M. J. MCDONALD Filed Dec. 30, 1959 DEVICE TO CLEAN FOOTWEAR KW/A y* NTOR. 5%@

Jan. 22, 1963 M. J. MCDONALD DEVICE To CLEAN FOOTWEAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1959 3,074,093 DEWCE T@ CLEAN FGTWEAR Mary Si. McDonald, Room 314, 101 Tremont St., Arlington, Mass. Filed Dec. 30, 1959, Ser. No. 862,953 9 Claims. (Cl. 15-161) This invention relates to a device to clean shoes and other footwear.

Gne object of my invention is to provide a device with brushes that will clean shoes at the bottom as well as at both sides, and also the back and toe portions, by moving the shoe, while on the wearers foot, over, or into contact with, the bristles. lt can likewise serve the purpose by so moving the shoe when ofi the foot.

Another object is to provide such a device with sides that have brushes, which sides will yield and move outwardly when the shoe exerts pressure upon them.

A further object is to provide brushes for the toe portions of a shoe.

A further object is to provide said device with a movable back whereby a shoe may pass over the brushes from the front, and beyond, the rear, thus cleaning the heel of a shoe with toe portions of the brushes.'

The foregoino and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawings. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modications, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawings nor `to the particular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

in the drawings:

FIG. l is a top plan view of my device to clean footwear.

FG. 2 is a side elevational view of said device, the dash lines indicating a change in position of the back member as a result of pressure applied to it.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of said device.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional View taken on the line of FlG. l.

As illustrated, my device to clean footwear has a support it) having a lower base part il and an upper base part l2 extending farther rearwardly than, and spaced above said lower part li, as explained later. Rubber feet 13 are attached to said base lower part il. Said support has a rear member i4 that is stationary and said base upper part 12 rests thereon. This rear member 14 extends lower than other parts of my device, hence causing the latter to tip forward somewhat as shown in said FIG. 2. A back i6 extends above said rear member 14 and hinges 1S movably hold it to the latter. Screws 20 hold the hinges on the members i4 and 16. Said 4back retains dirt, after it is brushed oit a persons footwear, within my device.

A retainer 22 has a U-shaped member 24 bearing against said movable back lo and it has loop portions 26 that are rotatably mounted on a shaft 25 that is held to said base upper part l2 by staples 36 that enter the latter. A tension spring 32 has a lower, U-shaped bearing member 34 that bears against said rear member 14 and it also has two extensions 35 that bear against said U-shaped bearing Amember 34. Normally, said retainer 22 holds said beardli Patented Jan.. 22, i963 ing member 24 rmly against said movable back 16. When pressure outwardly is applied to the latter, as by a shoe of the user, movement rearwardly of said bearing member 24 tightens said spring 32 so that said back 16 automatically returns to normal when said pressure ceases.

My device has a left side di? and a right side 42. Two connectors 44 and 46, shown as right angle members, extend through slots 47 and 4S respectively in said left side il? and continue laterally and above said base lower part il, each being slidable in a space between each of two pairs of guide members 5t? and 52 respectively. These guide members are located, and attached to, said base upper and lower parts extending all the way across them.

There are two connectors 54 and 56, shown as right angle members, that extend through slots 58 and 60, respectively, in said right side l2 and continue laterally above said base lower part 11. Said connector 54 is slidable between a said pair of guide members 50 and 52, as is said connector 56. Screws 59 hold said connectors to said sides iti and 42. A coil spring Gila under said lower base part 1l has two loop members 62 and 64 attached thereto at opposite sides and these are held to said sides di? and 4Z respectively by screw eyes 66. When sidewise pressure of a shoe forces a said side 40, or 42, to move laterally, the tension resulting in said coil spring 6&1 serves to automatically return the side to normal position when the pressure is released.

A bottom brush has a holder 66 attached to said base upper part in which holder many bristles 68 are set in the usual way. Said bristles 65 extend upright in position of use, from front to rear of my device, and they serve especially to clean the bottom of a shoe and to some extent also clean the sides. An occasional opening 69 in said holder 66 allows dirt to pass below said bristles.

A left side brush '70 has a holder 71 attached to said left side Jl in which holder 71 many bristles 72 are set that extend horizontally towards said right side 42. At the inner end portion of said left side brush said holder 71 curves or extends in a lateral direction towards said right side 42 as do said bristles 72 thus providing a toe brush portion '74 to clean the toe part of a shoe.

A right side brush 76 has a holder 73 attached to said right side d?. in which holder '73 many bristles Sllare set that extend horizontally towards said left side 4d; but being spaced considerably from said bristles 72. At the inner end portion of said right side brush 76 said holder 78 curves or extends in a lateral direction towards said left side d@ as do said' bristles Sil thus providing another toe brush portion S2. The screws 59 serve additionally to secure the brushes 7i), 76 to their respective sides.

ln use a person, while wearing shoes, moves the sole of his shoe back and forth over the bristles 68 of said bottom brush. This movement also helps clean the sides, the soles and part of the shoe uppers as well, by contact with the bristles of the side brushes. if further cleaning of said sides is needed, one side of the shoe may be especially pressed against the bristles of the adjacent side brush and then likewise with the other shoe side. Said toe brush portions will clean the front or toe part of the shoe which toe part may also be turned sideways if further cleaning of these parts is needed.

My device is suitable likewise to clean a shoe, or any similar article, held by a persons hand. Sincel said back will yield, a shoe may be forced rearwardly beyond it until the heel comes in contact with said.l toe brush portions.

Also the foot may be tipped upwardly to bring the rear heel portion of a shoe in contact with said bottom brush. Should a shoe be unusually wide, said sides 40 and 42 will yield by moving outwardly, thus enabling my device to accommodate all sizes of shoes.

What I claim:

l. A device to clean footwear comprising a support, two sides movably connected to said support each having a slot therethrough, a pair of, guide members attached to said support, two side brushes attached to said sides the bristlesof which extend laterally inwardly, a connecting angle member attached to each said side embodying an angle portion extending through a said slot and vmovably extending between Said pair of. guides, and spring means attached to and extending between said sides and adapted to be placed under tension whena said side is moved laterally whereby the latter said side is automatically returned Vto normal position upon release of said tensio-n.

2. A device to clean footwear comprising a support, two sides movably connected to said support each having a-slottherethrough, two pairs ot guide members opposite each other, attached to each said support, two side brushes attached to said sides the bristles of which extend laterally inwardly, connecting angle members attached to each said side each embodying an angle portion extending through a said slot and movably extending between a said pair of guides, and spring means attached to and extending between said sides and adapted to be placed under tension when a said side is moved laterally whereby the latter said side is automatically returned to normal position upon release of-said tension.

3. A device to clean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower base part and an upper base part spaced from said lower part, a dirt retainer back, means movably connecting said back to said support, a bottom brush embodying Va holder attached to said upper base part, and bristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in position of use, two sides, means movably connecting said sides to said support embodying right angle members one angle portion of each being attachedto each said side, and another angle portion of each extending between said lower and upper base parts, side brushes for said sides each embodying a holder attached to each said side and bristles attached to said latter holder and extending laterally inwardly in positionof use.

4. A device to clean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower basev part, an upper base part spaced from said lower part and a rear member, a dirt retainer back, means movably connecting said back to said rear member, abottom brush embodying a holder attached to said upper base part and bristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in position of use, two sides, means movablyv connecting saidrsides to said support, the space between said base parts slidably receiving portions of said latter means, side brushes for saidsides each embodying a holder attached to each said side and bristles attached to said latter holders and extending laterally inwardly in position of use.

5. A device to Yclean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower base part and an upper base part spaced from said lower part, a dirt retainer back, means movably connecting said back to said support, a bottom brush embodying a holder attached to said upper base part and lbristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in position of use, two sides, means movably connecting said sides to said support, embodying right angle members one angle portion of each being attached to each said side, and another angle portion of each extending between said lower and upper base parts, side brushes for said sides each embodying a holder attached to each said side and bristles attached to said latter holders and extending laterally inwardly in position of use, said side brushes embodying toe portions extending latcrallyifrom said sides towards each other. j j

6. A device to clean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower base part, an upper base part spaced from said lower part and a rear member, a dirt retainer back, means movably connecting said back to said rear member, a bottom brush embodying a holder attached to said upper base part and bristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in position of use, two sides, means movably connecting said sides to said support embodying right angle members one angle portion of each being attached to each said side and another angle portion of each extending between said lower and upper base parts, side brushes or said sides each embodying a holder attached to each said side and `bristles attached to said latter holder and extending laterally inwardly in position of use, said side brushes embodying toe portions extending laterally from said sides towards each other and being adjacent said back.

7. A device to clean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower base part, an upper base part spaced from said lower part, and a rear member supporting said upper base part, a dirt retainer back, means movably connectingsaid back to said rear member, a bottom brush embodying a holder attached ,to said upper base part and bristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in position of use, two sides, means movably connecting said sides to said support embodying right angle members one angleportion of each being attached to said sides and another angle portion of each extending between said lower and upper base pans, side brushes for said sides each embodying a holder attached to each said side and bristles attached to said latter holder and extending laterally inwardly in position of use, said side brushes embodying toe portions extending laterally from said sides towards each other and being adjacent said back, and 1resilient means operatively connected to said rear memberand back and normally holding said back in predetermined position and being adapted to yield when pressure. is applied to said back to permit said back to move rearwardly.

8. A device to clean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower base part, an upper base part spaced fromrsaid lower part, and a rear member supporting said upper base part, a dirt retainer back, means movably connecting said back to said rear member, a bottom brush embodying a holder attached to said upper base part andbristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in positionof use, two sides, means movably connecting said sides to said support embodying right angle members one angleportion of each being attached tosaid sides and another angle portion of eachextending between said lower and upper base parts, side brushes for said sides each embodyinga holder attached to each said side and bristles attached to said latter holder and extending laterally inwardly in position of use, said side brushes embodying toe portions extending lateraly from said sides towards each other and being adjacent said back, resilient means operatively connected to said rear member and back and normally holdingsaid back in predetermined position and being adapted to yieldwhen pressure is applied to said back to permit said back to move rearwardly, and resilientimeans under said lower base part attached to, and holding, said sides in normal position and adapted to yield to permit said sides to move laterally when pressures is applied to the latter.

9. A device to clean footwear comprising a support embodying a lower base part, an upper base part spaced from said lower part, and area-r member supporting said upper base part and extending lower than said base parts and tipping the device downwardly from rear to front, a dirt retainer back, means movably connecting said back to said rear member, a bottom brush embodying a holder attached to said upper base part and bristles attached to said holder and extending upwardly in position of use, two sides, means movably connecting said sides to said support embodying right angle members one angle portion of each being attached to said sides and another angle portion of each extending between said lower and upper base parts, side brushes for said sides each embodying a holder attached to each said side and bristles attached to said latter holder and extending laterally inwardly in position of use, said side brushes embodying toe portions extending laterally from said sides towards each other and being adjacent said back, a-nd resilient means operatively connected to said rear member and back and normally holding said back in predetermined position and being adapted to yield when pressure is applied to said back to permit said back to move rearwardly.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ziegler Nov. i19, 1878 Polt Apr. 16, 1907 Silas May 10, 1921 Hoffman Nov. 8, 1921 Sperling Jan. 19, 1926 Gilpin Aug. 6, 1940 

1. A DEVICE TO CLEAN FOOTWEAR COMPRISING A SUPPORT, TWO SIDES MOVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT EACH HAVING A SLOT THERETHROUGH, A PAIR OF GUIDE MEMBERS ATTACHED TO SAID SUPPORT, TWO SIDE BRUSHES ATTACHED TO SAID SIDES THE BRISTLES OF WHICH EXTEND LATERALLY INWARDLY, A CONNECTING ANGLE MEMBER ATTACHED TO EACH SAID SIDE EMBODYING AN ANGLE PORTION EXTENDING THROUGH A SAID SLOT AND MOVABLY EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF GUIDES, AND SPRING MEANS ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDES AND ADAPTED TO BE PLACED UNDER TENSION WHEN A SAID SIDE IS MOVED LATERALLY WHEREBY THE LATTER SAID SIDE IS AUTOMATICALLY RETURNED TO NORMAL POSITION UPON RELEASE OF SAID TENSION. 